March 20, 2019
The Principal's Corner
Dear Parents,

Please join us this evening for the PTO General Meeting. We have a full agenda – hearing from the PTO Board, including the budget and Board nominations for the upcoming year, Fr. Don’s presentation on the Parish campaign for Building and Renewal, and of course, Mrs. Kelley, Mrs. Herlihy and I will talk about what’s happening at school! Please plan to join us -- the social begins at 7:00, followed by the General Meeting at 7:30.

Enrollment for next year is slow but steady. We still haven’t heard from a number of families. It will help with our planning if you would let us know that you are returning in the fall. We are knee-deep in budget planning, so it will help to know how many programs we can fund, textbooks we can replace, etc.

Report cards are going home today! The report card is one part of your child’s development story. Keeping in touch with your child’s progress through PowerSchool and LiveSchool and class pages help to give you the complete picture. I sign every report card, so I see the many stories of triumph and challenge. I’ll address this tonight at the PTO meeting. 

Please remember tomorrow, March 21st, is now a Full Day of school instead of the Half-Day that had previously been announced.

Blessings,
Barbara Dalmut
Calendar of Events
March 20
PTO General Membership Meeting

March 21
Full Day of School - No Longer a Half Day

March 22
PTO Sponsored Middle School Dance

March 29
Cardinal Choir Field Trip

April 1st-5th
Military Child Appreciation Week

April 1
Spring Uniforms Begin

April 4
Colonial Day

11:30am Dismissal

April 5
Graduation Photos

April 6
Diocesan Band Festival

First Communion Retreat





Spring 2019 Cardinal Run and Track Club (3rd-8th grade only)
 
First session will kick off on  Tues, March 26th from 3:15-4:15pm . Registration is online via Signup Genius, click here , and will be available until March 22nd or when the spots are full. Cost is FREE. The spring season will be focused on speed and agility with relays and sprints. We will not be training for the 5K distance specifically but students will definitely be able to run 1600m or longer. You can also contact Coach Elisa Coyne at  elisa_coyne@yahoo.com  if you have any questions. 
Uniform Closet

The Uniform Store is not as big as it used to be so here are a few reminders about it:
  • Everything is $1, please pay cash or check to St. Bernadette School, at the office.
  • The store is open during school hours, just check in at the office. 
  • If the following clothes in good condition and meet the following criteria, you can donate them:

  • Item must be from Flynn and O’Hara. 
  • NO OLD LOGOS (with the exception of PE shirts and sweatshirts for one more year), no grey pants, no dark grey PE shirts or sweatshirts, no logos with the rosary around it, nothing frayed, ripped, stained, worn out, or patched. Please no socks, tights or hair treats, shoes are okay as long as they are in almost new condition.
  • NO basketball shirts from CYO, no band shirts or polos and nothing from other schools, or dated sweatshirts from previous classes.

  • If your clothes do not meet the above standards, please donate it to an organization of your choice, but don't bring it and drop it off in the uniform store. 
Parent to Parent
  • The Middle School Dance (6th – 8th Grades) will be on Friday, March 22, 2019, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. The theme will be an 80s Throwback! Admission will be FREE. Concessions will be $1. The Dance Flyer can be seen by clicking here. In addition, the PTO will be collecting items to donate on behalf of the Middle School to the Alexandria Animal Shelter, including:

  1. Gently used old towels 
  2. Gently used old blankets 
  3. Kong toys for Dogs (all sizes)
  4. Cat toys
  5. Canned dog food with gravy 
  6. Canned cat food with gravy 

  • The next Dining Out will be on Wednesday, March 27, 2019, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Silver Diner, 6592 Springfield Mall, Springfield, VA. Please click here for more details.
 
  • The next PTO General Membership Meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 20, 2019, at 7:30 p.m. in the School cafeteria. The theme for the meeting will be “bread and books,” which will start at 7:00 p.m. Click here for more details! A copy of the Agenda can be found here.  
  • This is an important meeting, as the PTO will be accepting nominations (or soliciting volunteers) to serve on the PTO Board for the 2019-2020 School Year and will be distributing the proposed budget for the 2019-2020 School Year. In addition, there will be two presentations at the meeting: (1) Fr. Don and Mr. Doug Mills, the Development Director for the Parish, will be on hand to discuss the plans for the expansion of the parish offices and the proposed wing over the top of the middle school; and (2) Mrs. Kelley and Ms. Herlihy also will be speaking at the meeting on unique and effective classroom teaching strategies. This is our second to last General Membership meeting; we hope to see you there!
 
  • PTO Board Elections are coming up in May! Nominations are being accepted now. Information on the PTO, including the various Board positions, can be found here on the School website. Serving on the PTO Board is a great way to get involved in the School community! So if you are interested in running for a position on the PTO Executive Committee or Operating Committee, or would like to nominate someone for a position, please contact the PTO Charter Chair, Brad Buswell, at: bradley.buswell@gmail.com. 


Thank you for your continued support of the St. Bernadette PTO! Go Cardinals! 
After School Event Calendar/ Helpful Resources
After School Rotating Events:

Monday
  • Advanced Beginner Band Weekly from 3:05pm-3:50pm

Tuesday
  • Cardinal Choir Weekly from 3:15pm-4:15pm

  • Virtue Club: April 9th, and May 7th from 3:30pm-4:30pm.

  • LEGO Club Group 2 Weekly January 22nd-March 19th from 3:30pm-4:15pm

  • LEGO Club Group 3 Weekly from March 26-May 28 from 3:30pm-4:15pm.

Thursday:
  • Virtue Club: March 28th, and May 23rd from 3:30pm-4:30pm

  • TV Club Weekly from 3:30pm-4:15pm

Friday:
  • Brownie Troop 645 Meeting Bi-Weekly from 3:30pm-5:00pm

  • Chess Club Weekly from 3:30pm-4:15pm
Middle School Youth Ministry


  • There will not be an Arise meeting this Friday or next week.

  • Our next Middle School Ministry event will be our monthly social on April 5th. We are planning on playing laser tag again! More details and registration coming soon.

  • If you would like to receive text/email updates about upcoming events you can sign up by clicking here.


Helpful Resources








Outside Events
Saint John Paul the Great
Please spread the word and join us! Saint John Paul the Great is hosting an Open House on Thursday, March 14th at 3:30!
 
Come learn more about the opportunities at John Paul! Tour our lovely facilities, meet our administration, teachers and coaches, explore our house system and clubs, and meet current students and families. Our accredited college-preparatory curriculum is a rigorous course of study, featuring a unique formation in Bioethics. John Paul is also proud to offer Academic Support, the Laudare Program, and an inclusive Options Program: a special education program for students with moderate intellectual or cognitive disabilities. Click here to register.
Bishop Ireton
It’s the brassy, bright, and promising year of 1959. Boston’s Colonial Theatre is host to the opening night performance of a new musical. When the leading lady mysteriously dies on stage the entire cast and crew are suspects. Enter a local detective, who just happens to be a musical theater fan! This tribute to the classics is a first-class musical murder mystery from Kander and Ebb ("Cabaret," "Chicago") – a sure-fire crowd pleaser from two of the masters of the game!
Bishop Ireton's spring musical, Curtains, opens March 22 at 7:30 p.m. with additional shows on March 23, 29, and 30 at 7:30 p.m. and on March 24 at 2:00 p.m. Click here to purchase your tickets.
Phone: 703-451-8696 | Fax: 703-269-1121